Goodbye Sweet Girl

RIP my sweet Deenie Boe Beanie
4/5/11 - 1/18/16

My beautiful Deenie passed away lastnight...She has been struggling these past couple of weeks and I really thought we were on the other side of things...She was our first doe and had the sweetest temperament...She gave us two gorgeous daughters and I had really hoped this spring she would be with us to become a grandmomma goat...Always will have a special place in our hearts and remembered fondly.

This canvas hangs in my bedroom...We will never forget you.

You with one of your sweet girls..Such pretty babies you leave behind.

You loved those evening walks in the big field before we fenced.

The first time we saw you we fell in love. Farmer brown talked about you all the way home and though it took some convincing for Merry to sell you, we talked her down and you became ours.

Wisteria getting ready to explode

The Wisteria over the front garden gate arbor is getting ready to explode.



So excited because it is just in time for my mum's arrival from Australia.

I can't wait for her to experience spring time here.

Because it is my favorite time of year...Not just in my own garden.

But before we know it the sides of the road will be blanketed in pink, white and purple pholox.


Blessings Kelsie

Offically Lamb Producers.

On Feb 27th our first set of twins were born, one Ram and one Ewe.

These 2 early lambs are the result of the Rams getting loose for about 5minutes while we were switching fields and doing a FAMACHA check. We were right there and got them separated as quickly as we could catch the 4 rams...Apparently 5minutes is all it takes ;)

715 is proving to be a very good mother.

Here they are at 24hrs old.

And this is at 5 days...Growing big and strong.

In the background you can see our new 8month old Shihzu Moe...He has dreams of being a sheep dog lol.



At 10days old they stared in our Easter Mini shoots...Here they are with my wee one.

We have 4 more Ewes due on or after the 8th of April...then 5 more will be due on or after 26th May.

Blessings Kelsie

Raising our own meat.

This week we made our much dreaded trip to the grocery store...And I just could not do it...I could not bring myself to buy the over priced, questionable in quality meat from there...Not to mention knowing the questionable practices on Factory Farms and in Abattoirs. Not just here in the USA but from around the world...Come on we have all seen the disturbing  and cruel images and videos from these places...

So we took the leap and called the butcher and this morning dropped off "Lamb Chop" the first of 3 ram lambs we intend to use for food for our family.

I should point out that "lamb" is anything under 12months old...Our rams are 9 to 10 months old...So those freaking out at the idea of a "little lamb" being food this is not the case.

So many people are shocked when we tell them we intend to butcher and eat our sheep...(well not all our sheep, we of course intend to keep our breeders)...These same people have no problem walking into the store and grabbing a packet of meat or buying a steak dinner at a restaurant...SO why is it different for us to butcher those we have raised ourselves?

Yes we have put a face on the meat, but they all have faces to begin with, just because you have not looked in their eyes or scratched their chins while they nibble treats from your hand, does not make the animals that end up in the stores anymore or less living creatures than those on my farm....The difference however is...Mine is healthy, chemical free and raised in a safe, loving environment...they are not neglected, tortured or crammed into little crates or dry lots where they are force feed food that was never meant to be eaten by any living creature.

My sheep know mine and hubbies voice and will come when we call...We talk to them and will scratch the offered ear, feed them treats from our pockets if they approach us out in the fields and make sure they well taken care of...I appreciate them and that their body will become good food for my family, so to honor that, I treat them with love and respect while they are here on the farm.

Eventually we hope to get to the place were we do it all ourselves...from birth to plate...In the meantime we have a wonderful butcher just 2 miles from here...Today Lambchop made that very short drive with us, I gave him one last scratch and an apple flavored horse treat and said goodbye...he was a little confused but certainly not stressed or upset...I know they will handle the job swiftly and humanly. To me this is a much better option than sending any of our animals off to auction where we have no idea the conditions in which they will life or die.

Next yr we hope to add a bully calf and maybe a pig or two to our property...With the money we are saving on our red meat we can afford to switch to buying from the Laughing Chicken Farm in the future when we want chicken.

Blessings Kelsie

Christmas Cards

After shooting everyone else's Christmas photos in November, I did manage to get our own little shoot done in a timely manner...even managed to order my cards with time to mail them out.

But alas, I ran out of time to address them all until today and then realized I was 10 short.

So I ask you...Am I brave (crazy) enough to run into Walmart to pickup those last 10 cards on the last Saturday before Christmas with my 5yr old in tow? or do I make hubby do it and risk him being confused when they make him sign those pesky copyright forms lol

Blessings Kelsie